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Weaning orphaned kittens - Help?

Got a new, young, furry love in your life? This is the place for you to ask all of your questions - big or small! Just remember that you are receiving advice from other cat owners and lovers... not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a vet or behaviorist! Most important is to remember to have fun with your new fur baby.

  
Yogi

Yogi Bear - King of the- Pic-a-nic Basket		 
 
Purred: Sat Apr 23, '11 8:43am PST 
Everything I can find on the net says solids should be introduced at about 4 weeks...and today the babies are 4 weeks old. I have some GNC Kitten Weaning Formula, and I also mixed some canned food with formula to make a mush. So far they've just been walking thru it and making a mess. How long before they figure out that's FOOD and not something to smear all over their bodies? Should I just deal with the crying or give them more bottle time? I fed them each a bit from the bottle this morning before I put them in the play area with solid food...should I have fed them more? Any advice would be appreciated!
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TGM Gimli DB- #101a

Play Hard, Sleep- Hard!
moderator		 
 
Purred: Sun Apr 24, '11 7:57am PST 
I would give them more bottle time at least for another week or maybe two. I bottle fed some kittens over 20 years ago, but I can't remember how long I bottle fed them. Gimli, K.C. and their two littermates had their mom, so I didn't have to worry about it. When Gimli was 3 months old, he was still trying to nurse. lol

I just got Kenji on December 7. He was found at my work stuck underneath a trailer on the loading dock when he was only 5 weeks old. There are some feral cats that hang out behind the strip mall. He only wanted the bottle for one week and even then he didn't drink very much when I gave it to him. So he ate a lot of canned kitten food with extra warm water in it to make it mushy. They will soon get the hang of eating canned food!
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Lost Boy- Nibs

1184158		 
 
Purred: Sun Apr 24, '11 1:40pm PST 
Nibs and Tootles have been eating a bit...Nibs more than a bit! But Rufio and Pockets still just run thru the food and want their bottle time. The good news is that Rufio and Nibs have mastered the catbox smile Still waiting for Tootles and Pockets to figure that one out, too.
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Weeble - Kitten Angel

I may wobble,- but I never fall- down!		 
 
Purred: Mon Apr 25, '11 2:15pm PST 
Our foster mom took dry kitten chow, added hot water, mushed it up to a cream, then added some of our bottle milk. That worked good, because we could smell and taste the bottle milk in the food. Then mom gradually replaced the milk with water, until we were just eating the mashed up kitten chow. Of course, don't serve it super hot, let it cool down enough so that it is lukewarm. We were crazy for the bottle too, but mom really pushed us to get on that mashed food.
We walked all through it too, then licked it off us. We were messy, but we scarfed it down good! Good luck!happy dance
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QUINCY

I've never met a- kitten I didn't- like		 
 
Purred: Fri Apr 29, '11 10:18am PST 
Four weeks is about the absolute YOUNGEST kittens will eat solid food. Most turn their noses up at it at first, so you need to keep trying. If you haven't done so yet, open their little mouths and put in some can food. Keep repeating this everytime you feed them. Also, sometimes they like the food but don't get the hang of eating out of the dish. I will feed them off my finger and then gradually lower my finger in the dish so they get the hint. Also, sometimes it helps to "fluff" the food back up when they smash it down while eating. It's easier for them to take bites if its kinda mounded up. Good Luck!!wave
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Bumpurr

RESPECT The- Star!		 
 
Purred: Fri Apr 29, '11 3:14pm PST 
orphan kittens care

wave big grin way to go

My kittens came to me, at 8 weeks old, and they were already on kitten foodies, so have no experience with orphan kittens, hope this helps, and best of luck. way to go
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Lost Boy- Nibs

1184158		 
 
Purred: Fri Apr 29, '11 3:59pm PST 
Rufio and Pockets still will not touch the food. They will lick it from my finger but not eat from the bowl. I've tried just formula in the bowl, formula mixed with GNC Weaning Formula, and formula mixed with canned food...nothing appeals to them.
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